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Let’s get digital: July 11th

Instagram Catches Up

Instagram has officially rolled out their newest time-saving feature. Available on both IOS and Android, the app will now place a message within a user’s feed when they have viewed all of the new posts of the past two days.

Instead of scrolling endlessly into the depths of perfectly styled breakfast photos or selfies taken on the Europe trip everyone seems to be on at the moment, Instagram is now informing users when they’re “all caught up.”

“We’ve heard that it can be difficult to keep track of your seen posts. With this message, you’ll have a better understanding of your Feed and know you haven’t missed recent photos or videos,” said Instagram in a post to its blog about the update. Read More @Marketing Land

Google My Business Adds New Feature

Ever wondered what people are searching to find your business? Wonder no more, as Google’s My Business is implementing a new report within Insights that informs business how and what people are searching to find your business online.

The report will include information such as the phrases people are using within both Google Search and Google Maps, and will be found under the heading “queries used to find your business.”

This information will provide a great level of insight for businesses, and can even be helpful in catering content to prospective consumers who are learning about your brand online. Google has confirmed this will be rolling out more widely soon, and we can’t wait to see the result! Read More @Search Engine Land

Facebook Stories Can Now Be Archived

Facebook is changing the game as they finally roll out their long-awaited introduction of Archived Stories. Long gone are the tragic days when stories only lasted 24 hours before vanishing into the depths of the interwebs.

Cry no more over the manual labour you put into creating them for them to ultimately disappear, as the Archive feature will allows users to view, re-use and repost already published content.

Such a move is revolutionary for brands, as it means they can easily recycle their best performing Stories or use them as a reference point when creating new content. The platform seems to be placing ongoing focus upon the Stories feature, so it might not be too long before Facebook has a Story Highlights section just like Instagram. Read More @Social Media Today

Instagram Asks the Big Questions

First came the polls, then the emoji slider and now Instagram is testing its newest widget for Stories. The tool has not yet been confirmed by Instagram, but has been spotted by internet sleuths in Indonesia and Spain, according to TechCrunch.

By allowing users to ask open-ended questions within their Stories wherein other users can submit a response, they are aiming to make the application and its content more interactive.

Other than being a fun tool, this widget could prove extremely helpful for advertisers and businesses in interacting with prospective customers through the platform. Additionally, it could help businesses in gaining an understanding of what consumers want to see from them and how they can create ads that will perform best. Read More @Marketing Land

Siri Gets Serious

Siri might not be as interactive or as efficient as the Google Assistant or Amazon Echo, but the current implementation of Siri Shortcuts seems to be transforming the current affordances of the program.

The new and improved platform will allow users to create unique voice commands, expose quick actions to Siri, and can be customised within the Shortcuts App. Apple has described the update as a way to “take advantage of the power of apps” and acts as a custom assistant that rely on command and utilise the internet when need be.

The introduction of Shortcuts has repositioned Siri as a useful assistant, rather than just a digital voice which can be spoken to. According to TechCrunch, “the Shortcuts app will provide a deeper experience for those who want to chain together actions and customise their own shortcuts.” Read More @TechCrunch